As sure as every Arian Foster owner is looking to add Ben Tate later in their fantasy draft as his handcuff, so too must the savvy Individual Defensive Player (IDP) owner back up his studs with their potential replacements. With the rash of preseason injuries to-date in 2012, it is more important than ever to make sure that our IDP handcuffs are in place. Unfortunately, it is not quite as defined on the defensive side of the ball as to who the next man up may be, and often times a defense may look for a multi-headed solution to their injured stars. Here is a look at some names to definitely monitor as replacements for the No. 1 man at their respective positions. Some of the names will be familiar and some of them will be from deeper down the depth charts as we look for IDP handcuffs. DJ Smith, ILB, Green Bay: This one is as simple as it gets. Smith has now assumed the position formerly held down by Top 5 fantasy linebacker, Desmond Bishop, who has undergone surgery to repair a damaged hamstring. Smith stepped in for an injured Bishop in 2011, amassing 57 total stops and an interception in nine games played. While he may lack some of the big play potential that Bishop brings to the table, he is an immediate three-down player on the Packers defense and a must have for Bishop owners. Barrett Ruud, ILB, New Orleans: While "Bounty Gate" rocked the Saints defense in the offseason with the suspensions of Jonathan Vilma and Will Smith, it is a rash of injuries to the linebacker position that continues to plague them in the preseason. Newly acquired Curtis Lofton, David Hawthorne and Chris Chamberlain have all gone down with one ailment or another, forcing the Saints to trade for the former Tampa Bay Buccaneer and Tennessee Titan. Ruud was languishing in Seattle as the backup to rookie Bobby Wagner and now has new life with the Saints. Hawthorne (meniscus) and Lofton (high-ankle sprain) will both make it onto the field in 2012, while Chamberlain (torn ACL) has already been placed on Injured Reserve. Ruud was a fantasy beast from 2007-10 for Tampa Bay, and while he won't be asked to carry the load for New Orleans as much as he did back in his time with the Buccaneers, he will have fantasy value from the middle of the Saints defense in 2012. Chris Carter, OLB, Pittsburgh: While Smith and Ruud are somewhat known commodities at their positions, Carter is a wild card for the Steelers. With James Harrison iffy for the start of the season, Carter has been taking ...

undefinedundefinedundefinedundefinedundefinedundefinedundefinedundefined We're six weeks into the 2011 season, and between the injuries that continue to mount and the byes now being in full swing (The upcoming week will see a slew of IDP studs sidelined by siesta) IDP waiver wires are getting thinner and thinner. That's OK though, I enjoy kicking over rocks, because you never know what you just might find. With that in mind here are some players that should be available on many IDP waiver wires that are worth targeting as we head into Week 7. PICKUP OF THE WEEK Tanard Jackson -- FS, Tampa Bay Buccaneers: After missing more than a year due to suspension Jackson was finally reinstated and was thrown right back into the fire by the Buccaneers. Jackson played surprisingly well last week against the Saints, racking up five solos and intercepting a pass, and with the fourth-year pro seemingly back in the saddle as the starting free safety in Tampa he's a definite target for teams thin at DB. Andre Carter -- DE, New England Patriots: The 11th year veteran appears to be settling in to his role as a DE in the Patriots new 4-3 base looks, tallying 12 total tackles and two sacks over his past two games. Carter's on a bye in Week 7, but startable defensive linemen don't grow on trees, so IDP owners with a need at the position are going to want to get ahead of the curve. Brett Keisel -- DE, Pittsburgh Steelers: Keisel was a force in the Steelers Week 6 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars, logging six stops and getting his first two sacks of the 2011 campaign. Keisel's upside as a 3-4 DE is limited, but fantasy owners in need of a spot start may want to consider rolling Keisel out against an Arizona Cardinals team that's allowing over three sacks a game. Chris Chamberlain - WLB, St. Louis Rams: The fourth year pro got the nod over free-agent acquisition Ben Leber on the weak side for the Rams last week and performed fairly well, making seven total tackles in the loss to the Packers. Chamberlain's not a worldbeater talent-wise and there's no guarantee he'll stick, but head coach Steve Spagnuolo has indicated that he's at least earned another start this week against Dallas, which makes Chamberlain worth consideration from LB-needy IDP teams given the favorable matchup. Erin Henderson -- WLB, Minnesota Vikings: Older brother E.J.'s nagging knee injury has thrust the younger Henderson brother into a three-down role for the Vikings, and while Henderson 2.0 has been ...